Contributed Comments

Comments: All trad pro, continuously sustained climbing, solid 5.12+. This route has deservedly become an Eldo benchmark over the years and opened the door for many climbers to the more difficult 5.13 lines to its left (Freeline, Frayed line, Surfs Up). I'd call it a new classic and the best 5.12 trad pitch in the state; would anyone nominate a better one?

Comments: i got a chance to try D1 this last summer, in the middle of august 04, with my friend luke parady. i found the route to be more "historic" than "classic". the whole middle section of the route was a wide loose trough, with pebbles constantly exfoliating from the decomposing granite and, at times, large chunks of rock pulling off...belayers beware. the crux pitch, however, stands alone as the best quality rock, and pitch, of the route. the location is stunning (the upper tip of the diamond, d... more >>

Comments: Finally decided to give this thing a whirl today, and what a stellar line. The first two pitches as one was definitely the way to go. the third pitch, although not so hard once you've seen the holds, is hard to see/read from the belay and committing to the moves on slick/blind feet will get you crimping hard. Not as scary as I was expecting, but still has some spice! I was able to carry a light rack on this one, which helps on the steep stuff (single set from black Alien to #3 Camalot,... more >>

Comments: i've been labeled a sandbagger before, and i too find this climb to be solid 11c (for sure if one onsights). Stellar positioning, tricky clips, fun alternative when the upper canyon is crowded.

Comments: Sorry everybody, but I broke off a hold in the crux section going for the onsight a couple months ago. The hold was on the blank section of rock when you exit the crack out right to the final crux face moves. The route still goes though, and the grade remains the same. Sorry!

Comments: I also did not see any fixed pins on the route. I placed the cam, clipped the two bolts, and then finished at the backtalk anchors at 80ft. From there i climbed up to where the topo showed a fixed pin and two bolts and found nothing! running it out to the original anchors (assuming they are still there) could result in a 100ft ground fall with this fixed gear missing, so be careful.

Comments: I just did this route yesterday and will say that it is one of the best multipitch sport climbs i've ever been on! Pitches 1 and 2 are both solid 12a, especially for the onsight,and pitch 3 is more steep slab with a couple tricky moves (watch out for the loose flake just above bolt #1 on pitch 3, if it came off it would fall right on top of your belayer). Pitch 4 (10b) is nothing to get excited about, but it does make for an airy ending to such a fabulous climb. Three raps straight down... more >>

Comments: Rossiter gives this line a rating of 12a, but I agree that it is probably harder (5.12b). The opening moves are very crimpy, just keep working the feet up. Although the climbing eases up after clipping the third bolt, there is still no rest until the fourth bolt, and then its sustained balancy moves through the shallow corner. Beware, its a good ways run out on hard reachy moves after the sixth bolt, but once you gain the ledge at bolt 7 its only 5.10 to the anchors. A stellar line, well wor... more >>

Comments: Well worth the hike!! This line is steep and sustained, with only marginal rests along the way. I found the lower portion ate meduim and small sized nuts, while the moves along the base of the roof up through the double overhangs inhaled Camalots from #1-#3 (bring 2 #2). The final crux would not be difficult on its own but becomes quite strenuous after the sustained climbing before hand. George, I too enjoyed a no hands rest when I inched my ass up onto the jug on the left ... more >>

Comments: I found this line to be quite fun, but a little soft for the grade, more like 5.10+. Although the first pitch is the hardest of the three, I found the second pitch to be most rewarding because the line was more aesthetic and straightforward. I don't feel anything other than quickdraws is necessary, all the moves that are at all difficult are well protected with bolts.

Comments: Linking this route with the last pitch of March of Dimes is great, and it makes the descent much easier. Even though pitch two was short, I found myself placing more gear than I usually would only because the ramp on which the belayer sits angles up right quite steeply. Resultingly, in the the event of a fall, hitting this ledge is quite likely if the leader has run it out at all. 9+ is a good grade for this pitch, but the 10c March of Dimes pitch is a bit overgraded (more like a/b) especiall... more >>

Comments: Congrats on the whipper! I found that as i neared the top of the crack it dissipated a bit through a small bulge.here i stepped about five feet right (5.9) into a ramp-like right facing corner which lead right up to the belay. From there i went to the dead tree, and then straight up the face to the top (in two short pitches).

Comments: Ruper is also my favorite 5.8 in the park. If one has all day, i would suggest avoiding the slab approach up from the roof routes by going around the corner and doing two 5.8 pitches of The Slippery Spoon (5.8) to the top of the ramp, and starting the route with the art's spar 5.8 start. This makes for eight great pitches of varied 5.8 climbing: clean dihedral, squeeze chimney, finger crack, offwidth, overhangs, face climbing, and exposure! This is the only 8 pitch route i've found in the par... more >>

Comments: I found part of the fun on this route to be the adventure or routefinding on the Zot Face. I recall meandering my way up the face being careful to avoid loose rock. It's runnout, but it is fun climbing, and worth doing of one feels really comfortable leading at the grade.

Comments: This route affords a less-skilled leader to access the incredible and exposed last pitch of The Yellow Spur without having to climb anything harder than 5.6. A great multipitch route to take less skilled climbers on (not quite for those who have never climbed though - it is quite exposed and the final pitch has a little fall potential for the second). I recall one uncomfortable belay, but a fine compromise for the stellar exposure!

Comments: You hit the head on the nail, Pat: scary lead, great toprope, sequential 12a moves. Since it falls right under the rap route it makes a great toprope, as long as there aren't people rapping down above you.

Comments: This is a spectacular line, with some of the best face climbing in the park. Don't let the funky 5.10c crack moves before the crux fluster you, just look around for small footholds on the face and get your feet on. I suggest pulling the crux moves around the corner before clipping the 2 pins in the horizontal seam, because there is a good rest when the moves are done where you can equalize the pins if you feel so inclined. The face climbing above is impecable and well protected, just tread li... more >>

Comments: On P1, I also found the gear adequate, but not great. If you don't feel solid at the 5.9 grade, I would suggest leading it. If you do, there is a super-bomber #3 WC nut placement behind a flake above the initial corner and before the arcing upper corner, where small cams and nuts can be placed, though a bit blindly.

Comments: The first fixed bugaboo is definitely not inspiring, but a good bolt can be clipped only a few moves higher. I found a red Alien (#4 or #5 Metolius) stuffed up into the flake at the rest with a long runner worked well at this point between bolts. I also suggest doing it as one pitch, because even though you may find yourself pumped at the first set of anchors, climb on! The bolt in the roof is inspiring and once you hit the freehanging sidepull corner you can easily gain a great s... more >>

Comments: I'll agree that this route is one of the best ones in the canyon, especially as Pat suggests by climbing the Jules Verne pitches to avoid birdcrap (although they too have some crap). I will warn however, for the dangerous 5.9- upper pitch, really do some routefinding before launching through the moves going left. I had an encounter on this route were my belayer instructed my to "just go straight up the corner and traverse left at the shitty overhanging rotten band with no gear". If you're a b... more >>

Comments: I find 10d to be a suitable grade, considering the first 30 feet are no harder than 8+, and the crux is so short. Even if the ring pin did pull/break, the pin below it is great and the gear options below that even better (.75 Camalot). Also, I find this pitched linked with P2 of the Bastille into Outer Space to be a good warm up to the X-M/Outer Space link-up: the difficulties are similar, only difference is the quality of gear.

Comments: Rosy's is 5.10. Maybe easy 10 if you're tall, or hard 10 if your short, but it's still 5.10. I think rather than get hung up in the subgrades (a,b,c,d) climbers should concerns themselves more with the gear, because that is where the real danger lies on this route. Although the bolts protect the leader on P1, he must place gear after the crux to protect the second (I found a #7 WC nut worked well, or small TCU) from a nasty sideways fall. The 5.9 pitches are a bit run out as well, and s... more >>